1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel method for converting one or more steel shipping containers to a habitable building. The novel method is carried out at the site where the building is to be used. The invention includes also the novel building produced by the novel method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Much freight is now shipped overseas in containers of standard sizes; usually eight and one half (81/2) feet high, eight (8) feet wide and twenty (20) or forty (40) feet long. Marine freight is transported in steel containers that have a box-like frame of steel members, a bottom wall of steel channel beams attached to the frame and wood slats wedged therebetween, a top wall, two opposed sidewalls of corrugated steel sheets welded to the frame, and two opposed steel end walls connected to the frame, one end wall of which includes two outwardly swinging steel doors. Each corner of the frame includes a special metal fitting adapted to pass a steel cable therethrough. These fittings are used for lifting and lowering the container and for anchoring the containers to one another to prevent shifting and toppling in their transport vehicle.
These steel containers are very strong. However, after considerable use, they become uneconomical to use as shipping containers and they are taken out of service. The present invention seeks to use the residual characteristics of such used steel containers to produce habitable buildings economically.
It is known to prefabricate entire buildings and also to prefabricate substantial portions of buildings which are then assembled on the site where these buildings are to be used; as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,814 to J. Theurer et al. Some prefabricated buildings are packaged at the factory in units that are similar in size to standard shipping containers; as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,540,173 to S. Johnides; 3,792,558 to J. Berce et al; and 4,299,065 to J. M. Fairgrieve.
Prefabrication of buildings offers some advantages over on-site fabrication of new custom buildings, but the buildings are nevertheless expensive. The novel method does not involve prefabrication, although it enjoys some of the advantages attributed to prefabrication. The novel method takes advantage of the steel shipping containers that have been taken out of service and which can be converted at the building site to strong structural shells for buildings at low initial costs.
It is also known to convert shipping crates and tractor trailers into both temporary or permanent housing. The buildings produced by such conversions are relatively flimsy, flammable and relatively unsafe to be in. Conversions to such buildings are possible because of the light, structurally-weak character of the initial containers. The novel method converts standard steel shipping containers, which are structurally strong, and are not easily or obviously converted to safe, habitable buildings.